And The Raven Cries
by The Light's Refrain
Summary: ONESHOT Behind all that fuss about hair, is there something else inevitable? Something Axel doesn't want to face? Larxel


_Hello everyone. I'm surprised how little Larxel there is after all this time, especially with all the scenes with them in Re:CoM, so I shall contribute some more XP. Another one of those spontaneous one-shots, made to fill in a little "gap" in CoM. It will all make sense in time... _

_Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts, but you know that._

And the Raven Cries

"…Didn't expect you back so soon, Lightning Bug. Heard it was a tough fight back there."

A scarlet-maned man smirked slightly as he leaned against the wall, his obsidian leather coat rebelling loudly against the empty whiteness of the room. His aquamarine eyes were set upon a golden-haired woman who wore the exact same kind of cloak as she finished her voyage up the stairs. The twin bangs that earned her the nickname, suspended over the rest of her hair like an insect's feelers, bounced slightly as she conquered the steps one by one under her black boots.

"Eh, it wasn't so bad," she answered boredly, running one black-gloved hand through her semi-long hair. "And don't call me that."

Axel just smirked. "So what kept you?"

"Zexion," the golden-haired girl answered with irritation. "Trying to preach to me how _Les Miserables _is superior to _Marquis de Sade. _I wish that guy would just use those fancy illusions of his to keep himself entertained instead of bugging us all the time. I mean, if he wants to see _Les Miserables_ acted out in front of him, all he has to do is just imagine it and then let his magic do the rest."

"But that would be too easy for him, you see. Zex the genius always has to do things the hard way," The man known as Axel replied, the grin of a jackal on his face. "So tell me how you managed to survive Sora and his Giant Key of Doom?"

"What do you think I did? I beat him," Larxene announced, folding her arms across her chest and flashing a smug grin. "Don't worry, our little wind-up toy still works just as well as before. He'll just be quivering at thunder for a few days."

A low chuckle slipped from Axel's smiling lips, soon chased by a sorrowless sigh. He leaned his head back against the wall as he studied the blank ceiling.

"As vicious of a vixen as ever, I see."

Those azure eyes gave him an impish look.

"Were my ears deceiving me, or was that _relief_ that I heard in your voice?" she teased. "Were you actually _worried_, hedgehog-head?"

Axel bore a mischievous grin.

"Maaaaybe. For the kid."

Then laughter erupted from both of their throats, the noise bouncing gleefully all over to fill the barrenness of the white chamber.

"How kind of you to care," spoke the blonde, no longer standing on the other side of the room. She brushed his shoulder with her own as she ambled past him, her oceanic eyes dancing like delighted devils.

Axel almost shivered at the touch. He didn't remember her coming so close. Had she teleported?

He felt her fingers stroking the stylized spikes of his cherry-red hair.

"So how much of the Organization's Munny do you spend on hair gel?" The Savage Nymph asked playfully, Axel feeling a slight pull as she twisted one of the spikes around her finger.

"Oh, I dunno," The Flurry of Dancing Flames answered casually, feeling her pale blue eyes resting on him rather than seeing them. "How much do _you _spend on hair gel? I doubt those antennae bangs of yours support themselves, you know."

"For your information, I use my power over static electricity to keep them up," she replied with distinction, as the slight pulling sensation stopped. Axel reached back to fix the spike she had been fiddling with, but it proved to be a futile motion.

"Doesn't make them natural," the aquamarine-eyed male answered, turning to her and batting at the gravity-defiant twin bangs with his hand.

"They're more natural than yours, hedgehog head," Larxene retorted, swatting away his childish hand. "Maybe you should just let your hair hang got once instead of drowning it in slime. Maybe then you'd look respectable."

The Flurry of Dancing Flames raised an eyebrow and grinned.

"You know, it sure sounds like you're hitting on me."

"Hmm…maaaaybe."

"But that's my job!"

"And who says a girl can't do it better?" she rebounded coyly. "And I most certainly have a much better taste in fashion. Here. Let me show you."

Axel had no idea where she had gotten the pail of water from, considered that she had never left the room. All he did know was that the water was cold and left him absolutely soaked after she poured it over his head. After he shook his head like a stray and tried to dab the liquid out of his eyes, he felt some of his sopping wet hair lifted up.

"See, it looks much better, doesn't it?"

The Flurry of Dancing Flames found himself looking at a mirror on the wall directly across from him. He swore it hadn't been there before. His long scarlet hair lay perfectly flat across his shoulders and down his back, still dripping with water, shining almost too brightly in the light.

"So whacha think?" she asked, unseen in the mirror.

He ran a black-gloved hand over the soaked, smooth red mane.

"…I think I look like a girl."

The golden-haired girl laughed, not her usual malicious little laugh, but a laugh that was as clean as untouched seafoam.

"That so, pretty boy?" Larxene teased, twisting some of the hair around her finger again.

"Haven't you tortured my poor hair enough today?" he asked impishly, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"Nah, I think I should give you a mohawk," she answered coolly, briefly summoning a kunai to her free hand. "Or a buzz cut."

"You wouldn't dare," Axel answered, smirking.

"Oh, I so would."

"But it would be such a calamity, a fate worse than death," the aquamarine-eyed redhead continued dramatically, swinging out one arm in an exaggerated motion that ended with the gangly limb resting on Larxene's shoulders. "However could I prevent such a tragedy?"

"How about a kiss, pyro?" she offered, azure eyes swirling with fire.

"Really?" Axel stated, smirking slightly. "I thought you said that you'd never take a kiss from a hedgehog-head like me."

"Well, you're not a hedgehog-head right now, are you?"

The Flurry of Dancing Flames fingered at his wet, straight hair.

"Guess you got a point."

Then he found himself bowing toward her, the azure-eyed blonde closing her eyes and waiting. He wrapped his arms around her as they locked lips.

But suddenly there was nothing.

He stumbled forward, his arms wrapped around air. Barely avoiding a face-first collision with the lustrous floor, he got back up and whipped his head around. All he saw was white.

"Hey Lightning Bug!" he called.

There was no answer. As he ran his hand over his hair, he realized it was dry and spiky, untouched. He looked over to the opposite wall to check, but there was no mirror.

"…Larxene?"

Laughter beckoned from the stairs nearby, but it wasn't the laughter of the Savage Nymph.

Zexion stood on top of the colorless stairs, his laughter descending into dry chuckles. His eye colored like the palest ice, the one not hidden by his dust-blue hair, swirled with amusement.

Axel stared at his black-clad colleague with wide aquamarine eyes, as it slowly fell into place what Zexion, the master illusionist, had done.

"…What the hell was that for?" he asked, almost childishly.

"Oh, just curious as to how you would react," the ice-eyed man replied, a frosty smirk etched on his lips. "Miss her already, do you?"

"…Where is she?" the crimson-maned male asked. "Where is Larxene?"

"Where do _you _think she is?" challenged Zexion.

The Flurry of Dancing Flames stood there soundless.

"…She…underestimated that brat, didn't she…?" he finally spoke softly with the faintest ghost of a grin, his gaze off to the side where his reflection mocked him without mercy. "She's always been bad about that kind of thing, huh?"

"_Was_, you mean?"

Axel's gaze rose up to meet Zexion's.

"But why should you care? She was a traitor, and our true mission here at Castle Oblivion is to root out the traitors. Her death by Sora's blade was quite convenient, actually," the Cloaked Schemer continued on carelessly, walking back and forth as he spoke, his cloak dusting the glossy floor. "I would think that you would be glad that Sora took care of her for you. For, if your reaction to my mirage says anything, you would be at a grave disadvantage if she turned on you suddenly."

"I can take her on any day," Axel answered with the casual wave of his hand.

"Oh, I'm sure you _could _have beaten her, but could you have slain her with your own hands in a match to the death?"

Axel was silent.

"Could you have killed her?"

The aquamarine eyes became slits. Zexion gave him a smug grin.

"As I thought," he sneered. "You're as weak as they come."

The Flurry of Dancing Flames bared a cold grin, his white canines fully exposed.

"And this is coming from a bookworm who doesn't like getting his hands dirty," the crimson-maned man hissed back. "And whose only friend is a wannabe rock star who needs constant rescuing from the other members."

"But at least I get the job done, even if I never have to lay a hand on my opponent," the Cloaked Schemer replied. "And Demyx has an inner strength that Larxene never did."

The male with dust-blue hair began to turn around and walk back down the stairs.

"I'm sure the Superior will be most disappointed in you when I give him my report."

As Zexion descended down the steps, the sardonic clack of his black boots slowly fading, Axel stood almost perfectly still, his head drooped slightly. Fragmented tongues of flame circled around him, affectionately licking at his cloak.

Then he raised his maned head, his wide smile akin to a rancorous hyena, as the ribbons of fire became more interwoven, more controlled.

"Who ever said I'd let you write a report?"

_Now I love ol' Zexion, but I figured that the only reason Axel would kill him is if he absolutely hated his guts. I went over possible reasons in my head, and came up with this. Because we all know Zexion's got an evil streak in him, or least a manipulative one that would probably enjoy torturing other members from time to time._

_Thank you for your time. Forever Larxel! _

_Cya!_


End file.
